The 1960 French film "Breathless" is set mostly in Paris around in the year 1959. The film's original French title is "À Bout de Souffle" or "Out of Breath." Young Frenchman and minor criminal Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo), visiting in Marseille, steals a car, runs a police roadblock, and shoots a policeman. He flees to Paris and meets up with his American girlfriend Patricia Franchini (Jean Seberg). They continue their on-and-off romance while the police look for him. Michel has little money and sometimes dodges paying for meals by showing "small change" consisting of then-current French Franc coins. In 1959 the French Franc was worth around 500 to the US Dollar.

Preceeding the film title is a dedication:

Monogram Pictures was an American motion picture company which operated from the 1930's to the 1950's and produced low-budget and series films.

"Breathless" opens with Michel stealing an automobile using the "hot-wire" method.

Michel heads towards Paris on country roads and encounters a road-repair roadblock. He drives around the roadblock onto a side road followed by a motorcycle policeman. Michel pulls out a pistol and shoots the policeman, leaves the car, and hitchhikes to Paris.

Michel leaves the car and enters a coffee shop and asks "How much for ham and eggs?." He shows that he does not have much money.

The two coins were worth around US 20 cents and 1 cent in 1959.

The 10 franc coin was worth around US 2 cents in 1959.

Michel then goes looking for his girlfriend Patricia whom he knows will be selling newspapers on one of the downtown streets. He finds her and they have a reunion.

They enjoy a walk along the street.

Michel asks if he can stay in her apartment and she allows him to. Meanwhile the police have identifed Michel as the murderer and send an Inspector Vital and some detectives to locate him.

The informant tells the inspector that Michel has been around. Michel obtains some money by stealing a wallet from a man in a restroom.

Michel has a fascination with American crime movies and movie stars, his favorite being Humphrey Bogart. He passes a movie theatre which is showing the 1956 American film "The Harder They Fall."

Michel tries to imitate the expression shown by the film's star.

Michel joins Patricia and she asks him to "Take me out to dinner?." He shows her that he is broke.

Michel has around US 22 cents. The pair head for her apartment.

Michel starts asking her to sleep with him but she refuses stating that she is not sure that she really loves him.

They discuss love although Michel is more interested in making love. Michel wears a couple of small medals on a chain.

The medals are hard to identify but are probably religious medallions. Meanwhile the inspector has found Michel's girlfriend Patricia.

The inspector asks her to call him if she sees Michel and threatens her with: "Careful, kid. You can't fool the Paris police."

Michel continues his campaign to "sweet-talk" Patricia.

Patricia is becoming bored with Michel and makes a telephone call.

Patricia tells Michel that she has informed the police as the only way to leave him. Michel leaves the apartment and the police arrive.

Michel walks away and is shot by a policeman. As he lays dying, surrounded by a few men and Patricia, he gives her his last remark.

Patricia asks "What's that mean, 'puke'?"

Aluminum, 31.0 mm, 3.5 gm

Aluminum-bronze, 20.0 mm, 3.0 gm

Copper-nickel, 24.0 mm, 6.0 gm

Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michel Poiccard
Jean Seberg as Patricia Franchini
Daniel Boulanger as Police Inspector Vital
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writers: Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Claude Chabrol (story)